It's strangely fulfilling, Zhongli mulls as he watches his friend happily bites on his apple. The teeth chomps for a big portion, the cheeks swells as they chew. The consultant stifles a laugh at the animatic action, earning his friend's attention, "whassit?" still mouthful.
He almost snorts, but he has better manner so it only comes out like an amused scoff. His hand reaches for the gradient colored braids, " ... your hair is not black." Venti takes another bite, "I can make them black...," not that he prefers to, it'd be too much alike his friend. He wants a form to remember his friend, to carry his life, but he doesn't want to copy him. he's not worth of it. "You've never commented on my appearance before." Zhongli hums and quietly plays with the braid tails.
"Do you remember our friend? The one with stories not of this world."
"Of course. little Klee's mother! I'd love to meet her knowing how apparently she has ideas on to terraform mond better. She could have been one of the four winds." For a moment, zhongli remembers how alice fought and wondered if it was really Mondstadt's best of interest the anemo archon never met the alchemist. "One of her tales was about a girl died by poison apple. Apparently her characteristic is her black-hairs," and snowy skin with red lips but it's nothing his friend needs to know.
"Yikes! why would they use apple like that?!" Venti hugs the apples on the table in protectively. The geo user laughs again. Venti will take any apples and wines given to him, but he trusts his friend is smart enough to snuff a bad one. Unless the price of the poison is something of value to the anemo archon. He stares at the apples, grabbing one despite his friend's protest. It is only a make-believe tale, Alice said. so there's nothing for him to worry about. As he takes a bite, he nods at the sweet flavor invading his tongue. it's only a story-tale.